Polluted Offerings
And a servant his master.
bIf then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?
And if I am a Master,
Where is My reverence?
Says the Lord of hosts
To you priests who despise My name.
cYet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’
But say,
‘In what way have we defiled You?’
By saying,
b‘The table of the Lord is1 contemptible.’
Is it not evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?
Offer it then to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you?
Would he baccept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
That He may be gracious to us.
aWhile this is being done by your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
aSo that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?
I have no pleasure in you,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
b“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
My name shall be great bamong the Gentiles;
cIn every place dincense shall be offered to My name,
And a pure offering;
eFor My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
In that you say,
a‘The table of the1 Lord is defiled;
And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
‘Oh, what a aweariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
bShould I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord.
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord bwhat is blemished—
For cI am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“And My name is to be feared among the nations.
| << Malachi 1:7 | Malachi 1:9 >> |
Malachi 1:8
And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? - Others, "it is not evil," as we should say, "there is no harm in it." Both imply, alike, an utter unconsciousness on the part of the offerer, that it was evil: the one, in irony, that this was always their answer, "there is nothing amiss;" the other is an indignant question, "is there indeed nought amiss?" And this seems the most natural.
The sacrifice of the "blind" and "lame" was expressly forbidden in the law Deuteronomy 15:21, and the sick in manifold varieties of animal disease. "Whatever hath a blemish ye shall not offer Leviticus 22:22, blind or with limb broken, or wounded or mangy or scabby or scurfy." Perfectness was an essential principle of sacrifice; whether, as in the daily sacrifice, or the sin or trespass-offerings, typical of the all-perfect Sacrifice, or in the whole-burnt-offering, of the entire self-oblation. But these knew better than God, what was fit for Him and them. His law was to be modified by circumstances. He would not be so particular (as people now say so often.)
Is it then fit to offer to God what under the very same circumstances man would not offer to man? Against these idle, ungrateful, covetous thoughts God saith,
"Offer it now unto thy governor." He appeals to our own instinctive thought of propriety to our fellow creature, which may so often be a test to us. No one would think of acting to a fellow-creature, as they do to Almighty God. Who would make diligent preparation to receive any great one of the earth, and turn his back upon him, when come? Yet what else is the behavior of most Christians after holy communion? If thou wouldest not do this to a mortal man, who is but dust and ashes, how much less to God Almighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords! "The words are a reproof to those most negligent persons, who go through their prayers to God without fear, attention, reverence or feeling; but if they have to speak to some great man, prelate or prince, approach him with great reverence, speak carefully and distinctly and are in awe of him. Do not thou prefer the creature to the Creator, man to God, the servant to the Lord, and that Lord, so exalted and so Infinite."
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Malachi 1:8:
Isaiah 1:11
Romans 2:22
Romans 12:1
1 Peter 1:19
| << Malachi 1:7 | Malachi 1:9 >> |
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